Top 18 Traditional Tet Symbols That Shape Vietnamese Culture

For centuries, the nêu tree has been a sacred and familiar symbol in Vietnam during the Lunar New Year. Typically made from tall, strong bamboo, the nêu tree is often adorned with various decorative items depending on the regional customs. Common decorations include bells, talismans, paper carps, wine jars, and lanterns. The belief is that the lantern’s light guides ancestors back to celebrate Tết with the family, while the bells and talismans keep evil spirits at bay. In some minority cultures, the nêu tree takes on a different form, often appearing in uninhabited fields, where large bamboo poles are erected at the four corners as markers for the boundaries of cultivated land.

The nêu tree, usually around 5-6 meters tall, is placed in the front yard on the 23rd of December in the lunar calendar, marking the day of the Kitchen Gods’ return to heaven. It must be made from bamboo, as the segments or nodes of the bamboo represent a path for the deities to descend from heaven, bringing vitality and good fortune to the land, helping to ensure a prosperous harvest. The bamboo should be mature, thick, and straight. The tree may be decorated with flags, lanterns, couplets, clay pots containing lime, and wind chimes. The base is often surrounded by a circle or arc of lime powder, which is believed to ward off evil spirits. Recently, however, the tradition of planting the nêu tree has become less common in modern Vietnamese society, being gradually replaced by the custom of playing with peach or apricot blossoms during Tết.

Spring is the season of renewal, where nature comes to life, so it’s no surprise that during Tet, people decorate their homes with various plants and flowers. While there are many types of Tet flowers such as gladiolus, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and roses, the most iconic ones are the pink peach blossoms in the North and the golden apricot flowers in the South. For those in the North, Tet is incomplete without the presence of peach blossoms, a flower that only blooms in Spring, specifically for the Lunar New Year. In ancient beliefs, peach branches were used to ward off evil spirits. It was thought that the sight of a peach branch would send these spirits running far away from the household. Additionally, peach blossoms symbolize new beginnings, vitality, and growth, bringing prosperity, health, peace, and good fortune in the coming year.

In the South, where the apricot blossoms bloom, the golden color has long been associated with wealth and prosperity. People place apricot flowers in their homes during Tet with the hope of a prosperous new year. According to popular belief, the more petals the apricot flowers have, the luckier and more prosperous the household will be in the coming year. The apricot tree's roots are deeply anchored in the soil, symbolizing resilience against harsh winds and storms. Its ability to endure all weather conditions makes it a symbol of patience, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of the Vietnamese people. Moreover, the apricot flower also represents nobility and high status.

Hanging Tet couplets inside the house has long been a cherished tradition in Vietnamese culture. During Tet, families often buy or write a few red couplets to decorate their homes, symbolizing luck, prosperity, and success for the new year. The practice of displaying Tet couplets is also a refined hobby for many, showcasing one's intellectual skills and mastery of language. These couplets are regarded as a cultural treasure, representing a form of spiritual nourishment during Tet. In the past, Vietnamese people would purchase or request couplets written on pink or red paper, with each verse containing meaningful wishes and hopes. These couplets served as moral lessons, guiding people toward the values of truth, goodness, and beauty.

Our ancestors had the saying, 'Green chung cake, fatty meat, pickled onions, red couplets.' The tradition of displaying Tet paintings and couplets originated as a refined pastime among scholars during the feudal era. It served both to decorate homes and as a way of showing one's wit and talent. Over time, this practice became widespread, evolving into a common custom among Vietnamese people during Tet. Tet paintings, often folk art depicting fruit platters or Đông Hồ paintings, and calligraphy with words like 'Heart,' 'Happiness,' and 'Virtue,' became popular. People also have a habit of asking for or writing calligraphy for good luck, and the image of the scholar, or 'Ông Đồ,' writing with Chinese ink on red paper, is now an iconic part of Vietnamese culture during the holiday.

Tet Nguyen Dan is the largest traditional holiday of the Vietnamese people, a time when we can truly appreciate the purest cultural elements of the nation. Candied fruits have become an essential part of Tet celebrations, symbolizing various auspicious meanings. Tet Candied Fruits are a must-have on the family’s tea table during the holiday. While the market today offers a wide variety of Tet treats, traditional candied fruits are still highly favored in every home, enjoyed with a warm cup of tea and accompanied by the first conversations of the year.

These sweet treats are not only delicious snacks for both adults and children but have also become a cherished part of Tet customs. Made from fruits and certain roots cooked with sugar, traditional Tet candied fruits include lotus seed candy, coconut candy, ginger candy, pumpkin candy, and kumquat candy. Each type has its own distinct color, flavor, and symbolism. For example, lotus seed candy represents wishes for family reunion and many children, while kumquat candy is believed to bring good luck, peace, and prosperity for the new year.

In Vietnamese mythology, the image of the carp has been passed down through generations, considered one of the most sacred creatures. Revered for their divine powers, they were believed to summon rain and wind to aid in agricultural seasons. For this reason, the carp has long been cherished and worshipped as an essential part of our spiritual and cultural life.

The carp is a traditional symbol deeply rooted in folk culture. According to ancient customs, preparations for Tet begin on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, during the celebration of the Kitchen Gods (Ông Công, Ông Táo), who oversee household matters and record the deeds of the family throughout the year to report to the Jade Emperor. The carp is the sacred vehicle of these Kitchen Gods, and on this day, alongside fruits and gold offerings, three carp are also presented.

On the first day of the new year, and even right after the stroke of midnight, many people have the tradition of purchasing salt to bring into their homes for good luck throughout the year, wishing for a prosperous and content life. On the last day of the old year, people buy lime to cleanse their homes and gates, hoping to ward off misfortune and ensure a fresh start. In some northern rural areas, it's common to see vendors selling salt in the early hours of the first day of Tet, walking through villages and alleys. Salt is also sold at temples and shrines alongside fruits, incense, and paper offerings.

In everyday life, salt holds a vital role, second only to rice. In feng shui, it is believed that salty water helps to cleanse impurities, banish evil spirits, and attract good fortune. The salty flavor symbolizes deep, enduring relationships, bringing harmony among family, friends, neighbors, and even in business dealings. People usually purchase salt on the first day of Tet, although some may do so right after the New Year's Eve festivities.

Tet paintings have become a popular choice for families, symbolizing spirituality, warmth, happiness, and prosperity for a fruitful year. Hanging paintings during Tet holds different meanings depending on the type of painting. Paintings are often used to decorate large walls and enhance the beauty of the home. In the past, when the economy was poorer, families would use newspapers to cover wooden walls, but now, beautifully printed paintings are available. Various types of paintings are used, such as Dong Ho and Hang Trong paintings, depicting scenes of nature during Tet.

Vietnamese families often choose to hang carp paintings during Tet. The carp symbolizes perseverance, strength, and sacred nobility. According to legend, the carp that swam through the Dragon Gate transformed into a dragon, so the carp is seen as a symbol of promotion and fame. In business, the carp represents water energy, bringing wealth and prosperity. The carp is an important symbol for both career success and financial gain.

At the Tet feast, alongside dishes like bamboo shoot soup, bánh chưng, and cold cuts, pickled shallots are a must-have. The pickled shallots typically featured are shallot pickles and pickled scallions. Pickled shallots are essential during Tet, serving as a refreshing counterpoint to the heavier, meat-heavy meals. When properly pickled, they have a mild, tangy flavor that softens over time, from the moment they’re first salted. Depending on the type of shallot, the weather, and the pickling method, these shallots may need anywhere from a week to a month to ferment. The ideal pickled shallot should have a fresh white appearance, with just the right level of acidity, mild heat, and a crispy texture without any sogginess.

In modern times, Tet meals have become more diverse, yet fatty meats, pickled shallots, and bánh chưng are still indispensable, creating the classic atmosphere of traditional Vietnamese Tet celebrations. Pickled shallots are typically paired with bánh chưng or fatty meats like cold cuts, braised pork, or boiled meats to balance out the richness of the dishes. The tangy and mildly spicy flavor of the pickled shallots helps cleanse the palate, enhancing the taste and aiding in digestion. When pickled with care and hygiene, they can last for months after Tet.

The Tet Feast is a deeply rooted tradition in Vietnam, celebrated at the start of the lunar year. During Tet, every family prepares a meal to honor their ancestors and offer prayers for prosperity in the coming year. The Tet feast varies across regions, each showcasing unique dishes. In addition to cleaning and decorating the home, preparing the Tet feast is an essential task. In Southern Vietnam, the Tet feast is typically simple yet flavorful, featuring dishes such as bánh tét (sticky rice cake), pickled shallots mixed with dried shrimp, stuffed bitter melon, and braised pork. Each dish adds its own distinct color and flavor, making the Southern Tet meal both vibrant and diverse.

In the Central region, known for facing frequent natural disasters, the Tet feast is prepared with great care and attention to detail. One popular dish is tré, which symbolizes family unity and the hope for harmony among relatives in the new year. In Northern Vietnam, the Tet feast is steeped in ancient traditions, with specific rules for arranging the food, such as the four plates and four bowls, or sometimes six plates and six bowls, each carrying symbolic meanings for health, wealth, and happiness. The way the food is arranged, with layers or tiers, also adds a sense of ritual to the feast.

The kumquat tree is a common decoration during Tet celebrations because of the symbolic meaning behind its name. In Chinese, the word "quất" sounds similar to "cát," which means good fortune and prosperity. Therefore, kumquat trees are often displayed in homes during Tet as a symbol of luck and blessings. When selecting a kumquat tree, people prefer those with healthy green leaves, golden fruit, and an abundance of fruit, as these traits symbolize prosperity, a bountiful harvest, and good health in the coming year. If the tree has both ripe and unripe fruit, along with new buds, it signifies completeness, success, and ongoing fortune. The kumquat tree is also considered a symbol of health, peace, longevity, and good fortune in relationships.

The kumquat tree is a beloved and familiar sight in Vietnamese homes. It is known for its simple yet elegant appearance, often grown for ornamental purposes or sculpted into unique bonsai shapes. Beyond its aesthetic value, the kumquat tree is believed to bring luck and wealth throughout the year. The vibrant golden fruit symbolizes good feng shui and a prosperous new year. It is often placed on tables, in living rooms, or by doorways with the hope of bringing fortune to the household. Taking care of the tree after Tet ensures it remains beautiful and continues to bless the family with good fortune.

Rice is an essential part of daily life for every Vietnamese family, and it holds special significance during the Tet holiday. In ancient times, people exchanged new rice as a way to wish one another a prosperous and abundant new year. In rural areas, it's common for families to bring fresh glutinous rice or fragrant eight-grain rice to offer to their parents, to prepare sticky rice or cook meals for the New Year's prayers. Children offer these gifts as a sign of gratitude to their parents, wishing them a year full of abundance and well-being.

The Vietnamese have a saying: 'A full beginning leads to a full year.' This belief is reflected in how important it is for each jar of salt, container of rice, and pot of water to be filled to the brim at the start of the year. Specifically, rice represents the wealth and prosperity of the family. If the rice jar is full at the beginning of the year, it is a sign of good fortune, indicating a year of happiness and abundance. That’s why it’s a long-standing tradition to purchase large amounts of rice during Tet, and some even give rice as a meaningful New Year's gift.

Tet is a time for family reunions, and in the Northern Vietnamese tradition, the Tet meal often includes not only the iconic green square rice cakes, pickled onions, and pork belly but also rooster meat. Beyond its nutritional value, rooster meat carries significant cultural and spiritual meaning. The rooster represents the duality of the agricultural life, symbolizing heights, daylight, and vitality. After offering the rooster to ancestors, the entire family gathers to enjoy the Tet meal, sharing in the blessings received. Offering the whole rooster, with its feet and entrails intact, signifies the descendants' complete and respectful devotion to their ancestors. As the family enjoys the blessings, it is believed that they are receiving direct blessings from their forebears.

The rooster's regal presence is a symbol of noble virtues, including bravery and loyalty. The rooster's habit of calling its flock for food represents the importance of leadership and community, while its punctual crowing reflects trustworthiness. Gifting a rooster to parents is a way of expressing respect and reaffirming that parents are the steady foundation of one's life. Today, while roosters are no longer given as gifts, rooster paintings often serve as a fitting substitute.

The art of the lion dance is commonly performed during festivals, particularly during Tet Nguyen Tieu, Tet Trung Thu, and Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year). In Eastern culture, the lion is a symbol of prosperity, success, happiness, and the smooth sailing of endeavors.

According to legend, the lion is a sacred creature within the four sacred animals, 'Lân - Long - Quy - Phụng' (Lion - Dragon - Tortoise - Phoenix). The lion dance, also known as the 'Lion-Dragon Dance,' originated from the southern Guangdong province of China. Chinese tradition holds that when a lion enters a home, it drives away bad luck and brings peace and prosperity for the upcoming year. This dance has become a vital part of the celebrations during Tet and other significant holidays.

The dominant color of Tet is red, which symbolizes wealth and good fortune. Tet in Vietnam is filled with red: red couplets, red envelopes, red watermelon flesh, red melon seeds, and red calendars. People also love displaying red-flowered plants like roses, peonies, and peach blossoms.

In the past, when firecrackers were still legal, the streets were covered in red from the exploded firecracker shells, echoing with the sound of fireworks from midnight until the early hours of Tet, and sporadically throughout the first day of the new year. It was also a popular tradition to wear red clothes during Tet as a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

Visiting the Tet market is a cherished tradition in Vietnam, passed down through generations, and holds a deep cultural significance for the Vietnamese people. The Tet market is a bustling hub as families prepare for the new year, decorating their homes, honoring ancestors, and completing final tasks before the start of the new year.

People go to the Tet market not only to shop but also to enjoy the lively atmosphere that brings everyone together during the holiday. Shopping during the Tet festival is more than just acquiring food—it's a tradition that creates a festive mood. Tet markets are typically set up on large grounds, and although they may resemble regular markets, they are filled with special goods. During these days, the market is full of people hauling carts laden with goods.

In the past, visiting the Tet market meant buying dong leaves, meat, and onions to wrap bánh chưng and bánh dày. Today, the Tet market serves various shopping needs such as purchasing gifts, offering prayers, or picking up flowers and fruits, especially watermelon, and other lucky fruits that are believed to bring prosperity.

The Five-fruit Tray is a carefully arranged platter of various fruits placed on the family’s ancestor altar during Tet. The term 'Five-fruit' refers to the tradition of including at least five different types of fruit, which symbolize the five elements that make up the universe. The selection and arrangement of the fruits are not bound by strict rules, but vary depending on regional customs. Each fruit holds a special meaning, representing the wishes of the family for the upcoming year. While there may be differences in the types of fruits used across regions, the Five-fruit Tray remains a strong cultural symbol of respect for ancestors, as well as a desire for peace, prosperity, and happiness in the new year.

In Southern Vietnam, the Five-fruit Tray is arranged with the hope for “just enough to live on,” symbolizing a wish for abundance and contentment. Common fruits in the Southern tray include custard apples, figs, coconuts, papayas, and mangoes. Pineapples are also added to represent the wish for many descendants, and watermelons with red flesh symbolize good fortune. In the North, people might use bananas or pears, but in the South, some fruits are avoided due to negative associations with their names. For example, bananas (which sound like “falling down”) are seen as a bad omen, while oranges and tangerines (which imply “cam making quýt suffer”) are avoided, and pears (which sound like “sliding down”) suggest failure.

Every Tet holiday, no Vietnamese household is complete without the traditional bánh chưng and bánh giầy. These rice cakes are present at every family altar during Tet to honor the ancestors. In Vietnamese culture, these cakes symbolize the tradition of 'remembering the source of the water you drink'—a reminder of respect for the land and ancestors. The bánh chưng and bánh giầy are unique culinary symbols of Vietnam, especially during the lunar New Year celebrations. Historically, they represent the Earth and Heaven, and they have become an iconic part of Vietnamese culture. For many, regardless of where they live, Tet is not complete without the comforting aroma of bánh chưng filling the home.

According to ancient legend, bánh chưng and bánh giầy encapsulate the essence of the agricultural civilization of the rice-growing society. Wrapped in dong leaves, bánh chưng is filled with glutinous rice, mung beans, onions, and pork—ingredients that have long been staples of the Vietnamese diet. The square shape of bánh chưng symbolizes the Earth, while bánh giầy is round, representing Heaven. The tradition of making these cakes during Tet reflects the gratitude of the people to Heaven and Earth for good harvests and abundance. It also represents filial piety, as bánh chưng is often gifted to parents as a gesture of respect. Thus, bánh chưng has become a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, and family bonds during the new year.

Giving lucky money during the New Year has long been a beloved tradition, with many legends surrounding its origins. One tale says that in ancient times, in Dong Hai, there were many evil spirits who would harm the people. The gods who usually kept the spirits in check were only able to protect the villagers during the year, but at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, the gods would return to the heavens. During this time, the evil spirits would wreak havoc on sleeping children, causing them to wake up in fear, cry, or even fall ill. In one such instance, eight immortals, passing by a house, transformed into coins and placed them beside the children. The parents, seeing this, wrapped the coins in red cloth to ward off the spirits. The miracle spread quickly, and it became a tradition to place coins in red envelopes and give them to children during Tet, symbolizing health and protection for the new year.

Red envelopes carry deep cultural meanings. The envelope itself represents discretion and a desire to avoid competition or conflict. The red color symbolizes prosperity, good fortune, and the fulfillment of wishes. It is also a color of hope and happiness. People believe that receiving red envelopes brings wealth, joy, and good luck for the year ahead. On the first day of the lunar new year, after getting dressed in new clothes, both children and adults exchange well-wishes, give blessings, and offer red envelopes to their elders. The elders, in return, give these envelopes filled with money to the younger generation, along with prayers for happiness, health, and all things good in the year to come.